The disclosure relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium in an electrophotographic manner, and a development cartridge capable of being detachably attached to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus operating in an electrophotographic manner prints an image onto a recording medium by forming a visible toner image on a photoconductor by supplying a toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor, transferring the toner image to the recording medium, and fixing the transferred toner image to the recording medium.
A development cartridge is an assembly of elements for forming the visible toner image. The development cartridge is detachably attached to a main body of the image forming apparatus and is a consumable item that is replaced when its service life is over. In a development cartridge using a contact development method, a developing roller and a photoconductor contact each other, thereby forming a development nip.
Once a long period of time has elapsed after the formation of the development nip, the developing roller may be deformed and the photoconductor may be damaged. The deformation of the developing roller and the damage to the photoconductor may cause a change in the development nip and thus may reduce image quality.